Electronic message delivery using an alternate source approach

• US 7,219,131 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlampp, Peter, Peterson, Patrick R., Banister, Scott, Clegg, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): LESNIEWSKI, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US10/347,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709217-219, 709227-229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Message delivery approaches in which senders define filters with associated actions for evaluation in relation to specified messages. After creating and storing filters with specified actions, senders dispatch messages to a processing system, which evaluates the filters against the messages. If a match occurs, the processing system performs the specified actions on the messages. The processing system may send the same message multiple times to different receiving systems, and may modify the source IP address and outbound interface of the message for each receiving system. The source IP address or interface may be modified by a filter in response to external events, such as a receiving system blocking another copy of the message. A single message processing system can appear as a large number of virtual message sendingunits.

Claims

1. A method of sending an electronic message, comprising:

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the one or more message filters comprises a rule and an associated action,

wherein the rule specifies a match of a subject or body of the electronic message and the associated action specifies delivering from a specified source hostname when the subject or body of the electronic message matches the rule;

receiving the electronic message destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the one or more message filters to the electronic message; and

when the rule of one of the one or more message filters matches the subject or the body of the electronic message, performing the associated action on the electronic message, prior to enqueuing the electronic message for delivery to the one or more recipients, by setting, in the electronic message, a particular source hostname, identified by the matching message filter, from which the electronic message is actually delivered,

wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message;

wherein each message filter, of the one or more message filters, for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the bulk messages according to the one or more message filters and dispatching the bulk messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the one or more message filters.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action further specifies identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

determining the particular source hostname that is associated with the specified interface;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the electronic message, the specified interface, and the particular source hostname; and

enqueuing the electronic message in the delivery queue.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action identifies the particular source hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a “

received by”

message header equal to the particular source hostname.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address, wherein the associated action further identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the electronic message equal to a number of original recipients of the electronic message.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate host, wherein the associated action further identifies a particular destination hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the electronic message equal to the particular destination hostname.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action further identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the matching message filter, address information from the electronic message, and header information from the electronic message; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more message filters conforms to a grammar that, when described in Backus-Naur Form, is equivalent to:

Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

Filtname Filterbody Filtbody Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

filtname ;

Filterbody Filterbody Filterbody ;

;

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

else”

‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

Statement- Statement-list Statement list ;

;

Statement Statement ;

;

Action ‘

;

’

Filter Expr ;

;

Expr “

or”

Term Term Term ;

;

Term “

and”

Factor Factor Factor ;

;

“

not”

ExprCore | ExprCore ExprCore ;

;

Comparison ‘

(’

Expr ‘

)’

“

true”

Comparison ;

;

Param Relop val Param ;

;

“

recv-int”

| “

recv-inj”

| “

remote-ip”

| “

mail-from”

| “

rcpt-to”

| “

subject”

| “

body-size”

Relop ;

;

“

==”

| “

>

”

| “

>

=”

| “

<

&

rdquo;

|“

<

=”

| “

>

”

Action ;

;

“

alt-src-host”

‘

(’

qstr , qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-rcpt-to”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-mailhost”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

abort”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

bounce”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

deliver”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

notify”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

bcc”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

filtname [_A–

Za–

z]([_A–

Za–

z0–

76]|‘

-’

)* qstr quoted string.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the bulk messages according to the message filters, and dispatches the bulk messages to receivers or recipients.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a domain name server, accessible to a recipient of the one or more recipients of the electronic message, recognizes the particular source hostname.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing information about a network address of two or more sources for the electronic message, wherein each of said two or more sources are recognized by a domain name server, and wherein each of the two or more sources identifies the same physical machine.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving a notification that an inbound messaging gateway, associated with a recipient of the electronic message, is blocking receipt of the electronic message, performing one or more of the following actions;

cease attempting to delivery the electronic message and attempting to delivery the electronic message using a new delivery policy.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the rule is defined at a particular policy level, and wherein the policy level is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a recipient of the electronic message, a sender of the electronic message, and a campaign associated with the electronic message.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for sending an electronic message, which when executed by one or more processors, cause:

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the one or more message filters comprises a rule and an associated action,

wherein the rule specifies a match of a subject or body of the electronic message and the associated action specifies delivering from a specified source hostname when the subject or body of the electronic message matches the rule;

receiving the electronic message destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the one or more message filters to the electronic message; and

when the rule of one of the one or more message filters matches the subject or the body of the electronic message, performing the associated action on the electronic message, prior to enqueuing the electronic message for delivery to the one or more recipients, by setting, in the electronic message, a particular source hostname, identified by the matching message filter, from which the electronic message is actually delivered,

wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message;

wherein each message filter, of the one or more message filters, for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the bulk messages according to the one or more message filters and dispatching the bulk messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the one or more message filters.

16. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated action further specifies identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

determining the particular source hostname that is associated with the specified interface;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the electronic message, the specified interface, and the particular source hostname; and

enqueuing the electronic message in the delivery queue.

17. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated action identifies the particular source hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a “

received by”

message header equal to the particular source hostname.

18. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address, wherein the associated action further identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

19. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the electronic message equal to a number of original recipients of the electronic message.

20. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate host, wherein the associated action further identifies a particular destination hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the electronic message equal to the particular destination hostname.

21. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated action further identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the matching message filter, address information from the electronic message, and header information from the electronic message; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

22. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein each of the one or more message filters conforms to a grammar that, when described in Backus-Naur Form, is equivalent to:

Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

Filtname Filterbody Filtbody Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

flitname ;

Filterbody Filterbody Filterbody ;

;

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

else”

‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

Statement- Statement-list Statement list ;

;

Statement Statement ;

;

Action ‘

;

’

Filter Expr ;

;

Expr “

or”

Term Term Term ;

;

Term “

and”

Factor Factor Factor ;

;

“

not”

ExprCore | ExprCore ExprCore ;

;

Comparison ‘

(’

Expr ‘

)’

“

true”

Comparison ;

;

Param Relop val Param ;

;

“

recv-int”

| “

recv-inj”

| “

remote-ip”

| “

mail-from”

| “

rcpt-to”

| “

subject”

| “

body-size”

Relop ;

;

“

==”

| “

>

”

| “

>

=”

| “

<

&

rdquo;

|“

<

=”

| “

>

”

Action ;

;

“

alt-src-host”

‘

(’

qstr , qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-rcpt-to”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-mailhost”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

abort”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

bounce”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

deliver”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

notify”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

bcc”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

filtname [_A–

Za–

z]([_A–

Za–

z0–

91]|‘

-’

)* qstr quoted string.

23. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message.

24. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the bulk messages according to the message filters, and dispatches the bulk messages to receivers or recipients.

25. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein a domain name server, accessible to a recipient of the one or more recipients of the electronic message, recognizes the particular source hostname.

26. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein execution of the one or more stored sequences of instructions further cause:

storing information about a network address of two or more sources for the electronic message, wherein each of said two or more sources are recognized by a domain name server, and wherein each of the two or more sources identifies the same physical machine.

27. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein execution of the one or more stored sequences of instructions further cause:

in response to receiving a notification that an inbound messaging gateway, associated with a recipient of the electronic message, is blocking receipt of the electronic message, performing one or more of the following actions;

cease attempting to delivery the electronic message and attempting to delivery the electronic message using a new delivery policy.

28. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the rule is defined at a particular policy level, and wherein the policy level is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a recipient of the electronic message, a sender of the electronic message, and a campaign associated with the electronic message.

29. An apparatus for sending an electronic message, comprising:

means for receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the one or more message filters comprises a rule and an associated action,

wherein the rule specifies a match of a subject or body of the electronic message and the associated action specifies delivering from a specified source hostname when the subject or body of the electronic message matches the rule;

means for receiving the electronic message destined for one or more recipients;

means for matching the rules of the one or more message filters to the electronic message; and

means for, when the rule of one of the one or more message filters matches the subject or the body of the electronic message, performing the associated action on the electronic message, prior to enqueuing the electronic message for delivery to the one or more recipients, by setting, in the electronic message, a particular source hostname, identified by the matching message filter, from which the electronic message is actually delivered,

wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message;

wherein each message filter, of the one or more message filters, for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the means for storing definitions of the one or more message filters, means for matching the rules of the message filters, and means for performing the associated action are comprised within a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, wherein the message processing system further comprises means for processing the bulk messages according to the one or more message filters and means for dispatching the bulk messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the one or more message filters.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the associated action further specifies identifies an interface name, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises:

means for determining the particular source hostname that is associated with the specified interface;

means for creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the electronic message, the specified interface, and the particular source hostname; and

means for enqueuing the electronic message in the delivery queue.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the associated action identifies the particular source hostname, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the electronic message, a “

received by”

message header equal to the particular source hostname.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address, wherein the associated action further identifies a delivery address, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the electronic message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the electronic message equal to a number of original recipients of the electronic message.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate host, wherein the associated action further identifies a particular destination hostname, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the electronic message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the electronic message equal to the particular destination hostname.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the associated action further identifies a notification address, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises:

means for creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the matching message filter, address information from the electronic message, and header information from the electronic message; and

means for sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein each of the one or more message filters conforms to a grammar that, when described in Backus-Naur Form, is equivalent to:

Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

Filtname Filterbody Filtbody Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

filtname ;

Filterbody Filterbody Filterbody ;

;

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

else”

‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

Statement- Statement-list Statement list ;

;

Statement Statement ;

;

Action ‘

;

’

Filter Expr ;

;

Expr “

or”

Term Term Term ;

;

Term “

and”

Factor Factor Factor ;

;

“

not”

ExprCore | ExprCore ExprCore ;

;

Comparison ‘

(’

Expr ‘

)’

“

true”

Comparison ;

;

Param Relop val Param ;

;

“

recv-int”

| “

recv-inj”

| “

remote-ip”

| “

mail-from”

| “

rcpt-to”

| “

subject”

| “

body-size”

Relop ;

;

“

==”

| “

>

”

| “

>

=”

| “

<

&

rdquo;

|“

<

=”

| “

>

”

Action ;

;

“

alt-src-host”

‘

(’

qstr , qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-rcpt-to”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-mailhost”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

abort”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

bounce”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

deliver”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

notify”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

bcc”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

filtname [_A–

Za–

z]([_A–

Za–

z0–

106]|‘

-’

)* qstr quoted string.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the means for storing definitions of the one or more message filters, the means for matching the rules of the message filters, and the means for performing the associated action are comprised within a message processing system that further comprises means for receives bulk messages from senders, means for processing the bulk messages according to the message filters, and means for dispatching the bulk messages to receivers or recipients.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein a domain name server, accessible to a recipient of the one or more recipients of the electronic message, recognizes the particular source hostname.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

means for storing information about a network address of two or more sources for the electronic message, wherein each of said two or more sources are recognized by a domain name server, and wherein each of the two or more sources identifies the same physical machine.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

means for, in response to receiving a notification that an inbound messaging gateway, associated with a recipient of the electronic message, is blocking receipt of the electronic message, performing one or more of the following actions;

cease attempting to delivery the electronic message and attempting to delivery the electronic message using a new delivery policy.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the rule is defined at a particular policy level, and wherein the policy level is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a recipient of the electronic message, a sender of the electronic message, and a campaign associated with the electronic message.

43. An apparatus for sending an electronic message, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause;

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the one or more message filters comprises a rule and an associated action,

wherein the rule specifies a match of a subject or body of the electronic message and the associated action specifies delivering from a specified source hostname when the subject or body of the electronic message matches the rule;

receiving the electronic message destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the one or more message filters to the electronic message; and

when the rule of one of the one or more message filters matches the subject or the body of the electronic message, performing the associated action on the electronic message, prior to enqueuing the electronic message for delivery to the one or more recipients, by setting, in the electronic message, a particular source hostname, identified by the matching message filter, from which the electronic message is actually delivered,

wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message;

wherein each message filter, of the one or more message filters, for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message Processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the bulk messages according to the one or more message filters and dispatching the bulk messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the one or more message filters.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the associated action further specifies identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

determining the particular source hostname that is associated with the specified interface;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the electronic message, the specified interface, and the particular source hostname; and

enqueuing the electronic message in the delivery queue.

45. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the associated action identifies the particular source hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a “

received by”

message header equal to the particular source hostname.

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address, wherein the associated action further identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the electronic message equal to a number of original recipients of the electronic message.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the associated action further specifies delivering to an alternate host, wherein the associated action further identifies a particular destination hostname, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises setting, in the electronic message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the electronic message equal to the particular destination hostname.

49. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the associated action further identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action further comprises:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the matching message filter, address information from the electronic message, and header information from the electronic message; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

50. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein each of the one or more message filters conforms to a grammar that, when described in Backus-Naur Form, is equivalent to:

Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

Filtname Filterbody Filtbody Filterset ;

;

Filter Filterset Filter Filter ;

;

filtname ;

Filterbody Filterbody Filterbody ;

;

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

if”

Expr ‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

“

else”

‘

{’

Statement-list ‘

}’

Statement- Statement-list Statement list ;

;

Statement Statement ;

;

Action ‘

;

’

Filter Expr ;

;

Expr “

or”

Term Term Term ;

;

Term “

and”

Factor Factor Factor ;

;

“

not”

ExprCore | ExprCore ExprCore ;

;

Comparison ‘

(’

Expr ‘

)’

“

true”

Comparison ;

;

Param Relop val Param ;

;

“

recv-int”

| “

recv-inj”

| “

remote-ip”

| “

mail-from”

| “

rcpt-to”

| “

subject”

| “

body-size”

Relop ;

;

“

==”

| “

>

”

| “

>

=”

| “

<

&

rdquo;

|“

<

=”

| “

>

”

Action ;

;

“

alt-src-host”

‘

(’

qstr , qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-rcpt-to”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

alt-mailhost”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

abort”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

bounce”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

deliver”

‘

(’

‘

)’

“

notify”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

“

bcc”

‘

(’

qstr ‘

)’

filtname [_A–

Za–

z]([_A–

Za–

z0–

121]|‘

-’

)* qstr quoted string.

51. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein each of the one or more message filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the electronic message.

52. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the steps of storing definitions of the one or more message filters, matching the rules of the message filters, and performing the associated action are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the bulk messages according to the message filters, and dispatches the bulk messages to receivers or recipients.

53. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein a domain name server, accessible to a recipient of the one or more recipients of the electronic message, recognizes the particular source hostname.

54. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein execution of the one or more stored sequences of instructions further cause:

storing information about a network address of two or more sources for the electronic message, wherein each of said two or more sources are recognized by a domain name server, and wherein each of the two or more sources identifies the same physical machine.

55. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein execution of the one or more stored sequences of instructions further cause:

in response to receiving a notification that an inbound messaging gateway, associated with a recipient of the electronic message, is blocking receipt of the electronic message, performing one or more of the following actions;

cease attempting to delivery the electronic message and attempting to delivery the electronic message using a new delivery policy.

56. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the rule is defined at a particular policy level, and wherein the policy level is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a recipient of the electronic message, a sender of the electronic message, and a campaign associated with the electronic message.